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Since this is a MTB site, I’m gonna say find a trail that needs some TLC and do some work on it. Or better yet, find a municipality that has some undeveloped space where they’re open to somebody building a new trail. I’ve hit a few trailheads that had signs at the beginning stating that the trail was built and/or maintained by scouts. Made me wanna’ find the closest kid in khaki and buy some of that overpriced popcorn from him!
I have a short attention span and hate to repeat myself. But MTBing is the one thing I’ve found that never gets old–even on the same ol’ trail.
If I could have just one, it would be a 5 – 6" trail bike. I’m not a racer or locked in on one type of riding, so that category gives the greatest performance range–maybe not the best at anything but pretty darn good at everything. Although I have 3 bikes, my Yeti 575 fit’s this bill perfectly and if I ever had to empty the quiver, that would be the one I keep.
How ’bout all those righteous trails that are off limits because they’re in a designated wilderness area? How bout all the folks who lobby for further restrictions on MTBs even though they know darn well bikes bring no more impact than hikers and less than horses?
Other than that, not much gets to me when I’m actually on the bike–or for some time thereafter–except when I repeatedly fail on an obstacle I think I ought to be able to clean . . .
The Marzocchi coil on my 10-yr old hardtail finally gave up the ghost, so I replaced it with a shiny new Magura–Department of Goods had some of the $800 Durins forks for $400 so I jumped. I lost almost a pound in the process and I’m still dialing it in, but I dont think it will ever be as plush as that old ‘zoke coil.
Tarvisq–let us know how those Havens work out for you–I’ve just about worn out the Mavics that came with my old Yeti 575 and I may be looking to replace them soon.
It depends largely on the type of terrain you ride. If there’s not a lot of techncial descending on your rides, you probably don’t need one. Even if there is a lot of technical descending, you may not need one if your ride has all the climb up front and all the descent to finish, thus requiring only one manual drop of the post.
However, if your ride has a lot of transitions, that quick lever on the handlebar can be very convenient. Even though most of my rides are all up then all down, I decided I had to have one after demoing a bike with one at Gooseberry Mesa where you’re constantly rollercoastering. It’s also perfect for Palmer Park here in Colorado Springs. It’d also be quite useful for those trips to Fruita.
I have ridden the Gravity Dropper and the Crank Brothers Joplin and they are both great units. I ended up with a Joplin on my All-Mountain bike.
Assess the type of riding you do, how often you would want/need to change seat post height, and how important it is for you do do it on the fly, and then you should have your answer. I will add that everyone I know who has one says it was more than worth the investment.
Indeed. I have changed my profile to Colorado Springs but for some reason it doesn’t show up in my posts. It’s great to be back home!
Best Christmas Ever!
Finally broke down and got myself a replacement fork for my old hardtail–a beautiful Magura Durin–Stiff, Plush and only 3.15lbs!
Family pitched in and got me a couple Amoeba lights (one for the handlebar and one for the helmet). Did my first ever night ride Christmas night–Waaaaaay cool–can’t believe I took so long to take up night riding!
On top of it all, we’ve been blessed with perfect weather–the Colorado Rockies are having an epic snow year, so every day we make it to the mountains is a powder day. At the same time, the foothills have been mostly dry, so the trails around the house have remained clear. Truly the best of both worlds!
Another vote for Phoenix. There are oodles of great trails right next to town. Double that when you throw in nearby Tucson. If it’s clear (50/50 chance in Feb), the riding in nearby Sedona is second to none with the best combination of killer singletrack and unbelievable scenery anywhere. No matter what, you’ll have more great riding than you can handle in a vacation.
(No, I’m not from Arizona–just love the riding there!)Rocky makes great bikes. I have a 10-year old Rocky Mountain Oxygen Race hardtail I’ve been thrashing for the last decade and it still rides like new. Despite having a killer Yeti full suspension bike, I still keep the old Rocky around and enjoy it often.
As far as the Altitude 30, I rented one in Tahoe summer before last and really liked it. The geometry is well suited to long rides over a variety of terrain. It climbed very well, better even than I expected. I did find it to be somewhat less confidence inspiring than my Yeti on steep, sketchy downhills; not a problem, just not as automatic. Overall, I was very impressed and, had I not already had the Yeti, would have put it on my short list for a great all-round full suspension trailbike.
Hey guys,
That sounds like a great project.As you may expect since I’m responding on a MTB site, I think there are far too many restrictions on mountain bikes, especially as compared to other user groups. But before I’m accused of taking a pro MTB position just because I’m a mountain biker, I’m not just a mountain biker. I became an avid hiker at age 9, an equestrian at age 16, and didn’t get my first MTB until age 35! I have also been a motorhead, owning motocross/enduro bikes from age 14 – 20. Bottom line, I speak from a broad perspective that includes background in most trail user groups.
Given impact on the trails themselves, MTBs are unfairly excluded relative to other groups and I would love to see MTB restrictions lifted in a number of areas. Crowding alone is not a valid basis for arbitrary restrictions against one user group. Some exceptions to this may include trails that have been traditionally (and continue to be) heavily/primarily used and maintained by the hiker or equestrian communities. Also, some trails, due to their construction, are not very sustainable as bike trails, so this may be a valid basis for continued restrictions.
As for practical solutions, there are a few that have shown some success.
1. The famous and popular Tsali Trails in North Carolina have an alternate day program. Half the trails are open to MTBs and closed to horses on even numbered days and vice versa for the other half. This way, no matter what day you’re there, there’s a good riding option available to you. There’s a few days riding available; if you’re there for two days or more, you will have everything available one day or the other.
2. Some of the trails in the Wasatch Mountains on the east side of Salt Lake City allow MTBs on odd days only. This way, if a hiker is concerned with sharing the trail with mtbs, they can simply go on an even numbered day.
3. The very popular Centennial Cone trail just west of Denver employs a similar evens/odds access plan, but better. It’s not a major destination trail like Tsali so there’s only very heavy traffic on weekends. As such, there are no restrictions on weekdays. MTBs are allowed every other day on weekends.
4. Also near Denver is Apex Park, which had major hiker/biker conflicts. Specifically, one trail was heavily used by downhill bikers who would fly down the trail, fail to yield, and greatly disturb hikers. Jefferson County, who manages the park, made this trail one-way only (uphill) for bikes every other day. That way, hikers can pick a day where they can hike without fear of conflict and bikers still have days they can cruise down the hill. So far, so good.Personally, I’m not sure there should be restrictions of any kind as I have 1. never been disturbed by a biker when hiking or on horseback and 2. never given offense to any hiker or equestrian while mountain biking. However, I understand that many people are disturbed, whether they should be or not. The plans listed above provide an acceptable compromise that may restrict, but still allow mtb access.
Hope this helps. Good luck with your project!
Actually, it was in Rio Rancho, a suburb on the NW side (pretty much on your way if you’re going up to Santa Fe. http://www.highdesertbicycles.com/ It was a Specialized 4" travel XT level bike. I don’t really like Specialized, but it was a great deal for 35 clams a day. Also, the guys in the shop were way cool and gave me great trail info. If you’re willing to spend over twice that, I found a shop that had some high end (Ibis Mojo, Pivot Mach 5) demos. http://www.fattirecycles.com/
It’s wort wandering SE out of town and hitting a loop of Otero and Tunnel Canyons. If you’re going North, you may want to hit White Mesa on the way. Beware, however, late August will still probably be hot and dry. Bring plenty of water.
Have Fun!
When you visit will be important. If you go before the schools let out, that needs to be the end of May, not June. Even in early june, the rides above Bozeman may still be snowed in. If you have the flexibility to go in early September, that should be better. The best time is immediately after the Labor Day weekend, which signifies the end of summer. All the kids are back in school and all the tourists have left–you will have the mountains to your self and this is usually the best weather of the year. This is the first week in September. While weather in the high country is a crap shoot and you could get snowed on at any time of year, you’re much less likely to get shut down by new snow in September, than by left over snow in June. It also rains less in September than in early June or May.
Great, that helps narrow things down nicely.
If you want a good base that will let you sample a lot of trails and branch out to other areas, including Yellowstone, it’s hard to beat the Bozeman area. Bozeman is a small city, but it’s home of Montana State University, has a cool vibe, as well as a couple good bike shops should you need anyhting. The surrounding mountains have lots of options for camping and escaping the crows along with every type of singletrack available. There are two absolutely classic rides here.
1. The Bangtail ridge is a 22 mile point to point on mosly noni-technical singletrack with about 4000 feet of climbing, so some conditioning is necessary. Add eight miles of paved road to make it a loop. A shorter version, called the Grassy Meadow Loop will be easier and still give youy the best bit of singletrack. There are stunning views of the Bridger Range all along the divide.
2. Emerald Lake (pics on this site) has a good climb to an unbelievably beautiful alpine lake in a high cirque. This is a popular one, though, so you’ll definitely want to hit it at an off-peak time.In addition, there are numerous other great rides. South Cottonwood Creek provides a nice, gentle climb on high quality singletrack. Go as far as you like then turn around and enjoy the downhill.
The corridor from Bozeman to Yellowstone (about 2 hrs drive) passes through Gallatin Canyon (beautiful) by Big Sky Ski Resort. There are numerous rides here as well, mostly longer and more challenging. The local favorites are Garnet Mountain adn Little Wapiti Creek. The Grizzly Loop provides a great shorter loop.
There isn’t much riding in the immediate area of Yellowstone on the Wyoming side. The mountains are beautiful, but much of them are in designated Wilderness areas, which means no bikes. What isn’t in the wilderness doesn’t have mush in the way of bike trails, unless you’re pretty familiar with the area and really know how to read a map. There are a couple good rides in the Jackson Hole area, but not as much as on the Montana side. The closest part of Wyoming that has a plethora of good riding is the Bighorn Mountains, a coupl hours south of Billings, Montana. Billings has one cool ride in town, but it’s all very technical (pics on this site–Zimmerman Trail), but theres a few good rides in Red Lodge, about an hour away. The trails down in the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming are mostly technical, with a high proportion of rocky sections of trail.
Missoula is Montana’s other college town, home of the University of Montana. It is also blessed with good trails, even closer to town. The trails in the Rattlesnake National Recreation Area might be great for you. Not overly technical, strong but doable climbs, and lots of quality singletrack. The scenery isn’t as dramatic, but you can’t beat what’s under your knobbies.
If you really want great bang for your buck, singletrack style, hit the Whitehall area south of the interstate between Bozeman and Missoula. Check out the review, with pics, of Lost Cabin Lake on this site. Excellent singletrack with fantastic views and the coolest lake ever at the top. The Louise Lake trail is accessed from the same trailhead and provides a similar experience. Right next to the interstate is the Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park where you can combine a cool mountain bike loop with a tour of a way cool cave!
Helena, the state capital, is surrounded by cool trails. You could set up camp here and hit a good variety without working at it too hard.
Whitefish is in the Northwestern corner of the state and serves as the gateway to Glacier National Park which, for great scenery, beats the heck out of any other national park, Yellowstone included. Whitefish has a way cool vibe and is a great place to stay. Also, the elevation of these mountains is a little lower and may be a good way to adjust. The problem with Whitefish is that the rides tend to be either real easy or real hard with not much inbetween. If being near Glacier National Park and starting with a little less elevation appeals to you, get in touch with the guys at Glacier Cyclery (http://www.glaciercyclery.com). They’re usually pretty good about helping folks make the most of their time in the area.
There are oodles of other great rides and locations throughout the state, but these are great places to start. Any of the mountainous areas will have camping options, ranging from commercial campgrounds with all the amenities to remote wilderness sites with nothing more than a flat place to pitch your tent.
The one question I forgot to ask is how much time you have. If you only have a week or less, I’d set up in/near Bozeman and hit the trails I mentioned above, reserving a day or two for Yellowstone. If you’re lucky enough to have two weeks, I’d start in Whitefish, hit a couple trails there plus a day in Glacier National Park. Then drive down through Missoula and hit one of the loops in the Rattlesnake National Recreation Area OR cut across to Helena and hit the Little Blackfoot Meadows and Mt Helena Ridge (including Waukina Sky) trails, then head to Bozeman with a stop at Lost Cabin Lake on the way.
Unfortunately, the best riding in Wyoming is in the Snowy Range and the area between Laramie and Cheyenne in the southeastern corner, a good six hours from Yellowstone with not much inbetween.
I highly recommend the book "Montana Singletrack" from Beartooth Publishing (http://www.beartoothpublishing.com/). It is the best single guidebook I’ve seen. It has accurate descriptions of the trails, including elevation profiles and a technicality rating. It is big enough to have some nice glossy photos that are representative of what you’ll see on the trail, but small enough to fit nicely in a camelback and take on your ride. It is an indespensible resource for riding in Montana, especially if you’re new. It has good descriptions of most of the rides I’ve mentioned. I can give you more info on these or others if you like.
Having just been transferred from Montana to the East Coast, I really miss the Rockies. If you enjoy it half as much as I did, it’ll be the time of your life. Enjoy!
Montana and Wyoming are huge states. There’s a tremendous amount of variety to be had, so if you’re going to make the effort to go that far, lets do everything we can to make it worth your while.
How technical is "not too technical." Just as important, are you up for a climb if it’s not too technical. Most of the great rides in Montana will require some climbing and altitude may become a factor, so your condition is important.
Do you want to roam around and hit a variety of areas or are you looking to set up a base from which you can access a lot of rides without further travel?
Geography is very important. Much of those states is prairie and not much fun on a bike, but the mountains are as good as it gets. I have ridden extensively throughout the Western US and parts of Montana are among my favorites, right up there with the best Colorado and Utah have to offer.
Does the opportunity for non-biking activities matter? If so, which ones?Do you care if you’re near a town/city? If so, just how much civilization do you want? Many of Montana’s best rides are near small cities that don’t offer much in the way of amenities. Many aren’t near any kind of town at all.
Check the trail reviews for those two states on this site. Many good rides are listed, but many are not. Check out those with pictures posted. Some of the rides I posted have a number of pictures that are generally indicative of what you will find on the trail.
Are you okay with busy trails or do you want to find solitude? Fortunately, most of Montana is pretty far on the solitude scale and crowds are only an issue on weekends on trails close to the larger (50,000+) cities.
Lots of questions which may or may not be pertinent to your decision process. If you fill us in just a bit more, we can give you some great recommendations.
Oh, by the way, time frame is important. How early is "early summer?" Parts of Montana/Wyoming retain snow for quite a while. If you go in early June, that will probably narrow your choices considerably. Check out the review of the Lost Cabin Lake trail in Montana and you’ll see the snowfield I had to carry my bike across–in August!
. . . especially in light of the "only one diamond–so much for variety" comment.
First, the "Upper Cheyenne Canyon" according to the page, includes Section 16. Until recently, I lived just a stones throw from there and this was my favorite regular ride. The Section 16 downhill is clearly black diamond territory. It has very steep sections, loose gravel, loose and embedded rocks, very tight switchbacks, and off-camber drops, sometimes all in one place. Yes, the majority of that area is blue square, but that area has tremendous variety in and of itself, including a long/exciting black diamond downhill. This is easily more challenging (and way more fun) than the Falcon Trail (concur that it should only be blue) which is marked as a diamond.
Second, much the same can be said for Palmer Park. This was a convenient stop for me on my way home from work, so I rode it frequently. There is a tremendous amount of black-diamond riding there. Not necessarily downhill as total elevation change in the park is only a couple hundred feet, but highly technical. in fact, the longest trail in the park, the Templeton Trail (4.5mi?) is consistently rocky, full of large drops, huge rock gardens, and major step ups, throughout its entire length. Even many highly accomplished riders can’t clean the whole thing. Yes, there is green and blue riding in the park, but it all takes a serious back seat to the black diamond riding–and that’s just on the marked trails–there are hundreds of onofficial lines where freeriders and assorted knuckleheads nail stunts and look for photo ops.
I noticed this thread started out as "overlapping trails." In reality, all of your numbers 3 – 8 can be combined into a huge network of singletrack (wilth but a couple short segments of dirt road or pavement),
